Chinamasa says Zimbabweans need to change their dirty mindset to ease cash shortage

The money has to circulate from Hon. Vice President going on to Hon. Chamisa then come back to Hon. Mpariwa.  Right now money is not circulating because there are people who are hoarding that cash.  We have taken other companies to court that since 2009, have not banked any money but they are in business and acquiring millions which they receive in cash.  Those are issues that we are looking into. The main challenge is that you need to change your dirty mindset – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Remove this mindset that you need to buy everything in cash.

*HON. ADV. CHAMISA: The people that I raised this question for are people who are out there who are struggling to access cash.  They are in queues right now. If you go outside and look at the bank close by, you will find that they are standing in queues and those are the people who are said to have a challenge in terms of their minds.  The Minister said they have dirty mindset – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

*THE ACTING SPEAKER: Order please, Hon. Members on my right.  If I heard the Minister correctly, he made that statement of dirty mindset in general; he did not refer to anyone.

*HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank you Mr. Speaker. The Minister explained well but I want to understand on the issue of money that comes into Zimbabwe.  Our banks right now, if you get money from outside the country you are questioned and for you to get that money, you need to explain what service you are offering and yet we are having challenges to bring money into the country.  If you go to South Africa, if you get money from outside their country, they will just ask if you know the person.  Here in Zimbabwe, it seems like there are so many questions asked for us to access that money.  What can be done to ensure that we easily access money that is send by our relatives from outside the country?

 HON. CHINAMASA: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I would like to say that the Security Council of the United Nations has established a task force to counter anti money laundering and what the Hon. Member is raising; the restrictions, the bureaucratic procedures one has to go through before you receive your money or before any money is sent anywhere in the world, are a result of the measures which are insisted upon by the anti-money laundering taskforce which has set up an organ of the United Nations Security Council.  This is basically to fight terrorism, money laundering and financing of drugs.

  So, yes, the restrictions are very severe but also the penalties are even severe. If our banks do not comply, they stand to be excluded from the mainstream of the global financing system.  I thank you.

*HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I would want to understand from the Minister that, is it in line with the agreement that we made?  If a person gets money from South Africa, a person is not asked so many questions like what happens here, which means there are so many people who are no longer sending money here because the questions are too many.  If you are to get money as a consultant from a company outside the country, you are expected to fill in so many forms.  Now, if you are an ordinary person, for you to fill in all those forms, you then find other means of getting your money.  Does this situation have to do with the sanctions that have been imposed on us?  What is happening here in Zimbabwe is not happening in other countries.

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